The clinical efficacy of dental implants remains unclear because of a dearth of sound clinical data. Scientific animal and clinical research is new to this field; extremes of opinion have been dominant to date. This conference is designed to congregate the expert and the experienced in implant dentistry in an academic setting to concentrate on matters of clinical benefit and risk; the aim is to assimilate as much clinical knowledge as is currently available into a rational concensus. The conference will be divided into three sessions, one devoted to each major type of implant in current clinical use: subperiosteal-transosteal, Vitredent and blade. In each session two recognized proponents of benefit and risk respectively will present their views in a forty minute debating-type format. The audience, composed of thiry-five invited experts, will then discuss the presentations for a full hour, using their own data in evidence. A workshop to develop concensus positions on implant prognosis will follow. The entire proceeding will be recorded and published for dissemination to the dental profession at large.